For those employers that thought immigration enforcement had gone dormant, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a wake-up call on July 1. ICE announced that over 650 US businesses will very soon be receiving Notices of Inspection of their I-9 records. This move is consistent with the current Administration's stated objective to go after employers that are exploiting illegal immigrant labor.

According to DHS Assistant Secretary for ICE John Morton, "ICE is committed to establishing a meaningful I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law. This nationwide effort is a first step in ICE's long-term strategy to address and deter illegal employment." Pursuant to the Notices of Inspection, ICE will be reviewing the targeted employers' hiring records to determine whether or not they are in compliance with employment eligibility verification laws and regulations. According to the ICE Press Release, the 652 businesses selected for inspection were chosen based upon leads and information gleaned from other investigative sources.